The Canal & River Trust has filled four key customer service vacancies. Three waterway managers have been appointed to replace staff who have moved on to other roles and, in addition, a new head of business boating who will oversee the Trust’s dealings with the many waterway businesses across the network has been appointed ahead . . . → Read More: New Appointments at Canal & River Trust

After a busy summer visiting waterway festivals, attending user group meetings, speaking at stakeholder gatherings and simply listening to anyone who had a view, Richard Parry, the CEO of Canal & River Trust has come to the conclusion that “All our many users, especially boaters, are vital to the . . . → Read More: CRT’s Richard Parry outlines Plans for more effective engagement with Users

On 24th July, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs indicated that the UK Government intends to challenge the Reasoned Opinion issued by the European Commission in May. A challenge, which is supported by IWA.

Responsible for looking after 2,000 miles of waterways in England and Wales, the Canal & River Trust has been described as ‘the longest local authority in the country’. As a newly established charity, the trust is making the nation’s canals and rivers more relevant to communities than ever before.

In Parliament on December 13th 2011, Tristram Hunt (Stoke-on-Trent Central, Labour asked the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average percentage change in basic salary was for:

Government statement on transfer of state-owned waterways into new waterways charity

The Government has today announced its preference for a phased transfer of state-owned waterways in England and Wales into the planned new waterway charity, with British Waterways’ canals and rivers moving in 2012 and the Environment Agency (EA) navigations moving . . . → Read More: BW Waterways to Charity in 2012 – EA Navigations in 2015

The myth: Several Sunday newspapers are inaccurately reporting that the costs of the managing heritage forests will double if they pass into control of charitable trusts, and that there are no guarantees concerning future access to . . . → Read More: Future of the Public Forest Estate – DEFRA busts myths

One of the targeted victims of the Coalition’s quango cull is the Inland Waterways Advisory Council (IWAC) which has produced a number of worthwhile studies in support of the inland waterways over the past several years.

Defra has today announced that its grant to British Waterways next year will be £41.5m. This is a reduction of £9.8m (or 19%) from the 2010/11 baseline grant of £51.3m. Given that Government funding makes up approximately half of the net spend on the waterways, this will translate into an effective cut of resource available . . . → Read More: Waterways Funding Cuts Announced